Lori Donnester
SALT LAKE CITY — COVID-19 tosses more hurdles into our lives than a star quarterback tosses passes to his teammates in a game.
The question is, how do we deal with that?
The Salt Lake City Chapter of the Ladies of Charity met the challenge. Just as we changed up our food deliveries to our 30 families from actual food to gift cards, we changed our Christmas Wishes program this year. We normally selected a child and purchased a gift for him or her. Then we got together and wrapped them at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.
This year, each child will receive a $30 gift certificate to Walmart. Our talented Jenny McDonald decorated delightful bags, and each bag contains a Christmas card including the gift card, a box with two decorated candies (Santa and Christmas Tree) tied to candy canes, hot chocolate packet, fruit gummies, socks and a special little gift ( fuzzy Christmas socks, puppet, ball, sequined heart). Carol Huffman and Jackie Harover packed them on a sunny day in Carol’s garage. Each family will receive a gift card to Smiths to purchase meat, as they did for Thanksgiving.
We leaped over the hurdle! (Although I will admit, I missed getting together to wrap the gifts).
COVID-19 has presented mental hurdles as well. We can only go out to the grocery store and we can’t see our friends. Prayers help with that a lot. We send each other updates and prayer requests and help support those that need it.
Gratitude is another way to overcome dark times and put joy in your heart. Here are some of the things we are grateful for:
– Faith, family, friends, food, warmth, church Mass, Bingo and Christmas lights.
– Our organization and the service that it provides to families helping them in their daily struggles. Helping others in need creates that warm glow in your heart.
– We’re grateful for the scientists; they came up with vaccines for COVID so quickly.
– We’re grateful that we live in Utah with its easy access to outdoor recreation.
– We’re grateful for technology. Zoom and Facetime have provided a great way to stay in touch.
– We’re grateful for our health and that of our family. It is not taken for granted.
– We’re grateful for the medical professionals who care so much.
– We’re grateful for the teachers who care so much.
– We’re grateful to the grocery store workers and the truckers and all of the multitudes of people who go out there every day to serve.
– We’re grateful for the fact that we were created in God’s image. That is why the doctors, nurses, teachers, and so many others keep going. Because they care. And God designed us that way.
We’re so glad he did.
Lori Donnester is a member of the Ladies of Charity of Salt Lake City.
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